Training camp always creates openings, and for the Buccaneers, the most important one might be on the outside at cornerback.
With Jamel Dean now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay is trying to sort through three young options - Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison - and figure out who can lock down the starting spots. It’s a position group with real uncertainty, and the Bucs are leaning on internal development to settle it.
McCollum looks like the veteran of the bunch, even at 27, and the team needs him to play closer to the level he showed earlier in his career. He got a big contract extension, but last season did not go smoothly.
Parrish is another key piece in the mix. After a terrific rookie season, he’s in position to challenge for a starting job opposite McCollum. He also has the flexibility to move back inside if needed, which makes him hard to keep off the field no matter how the outside battle plays out.
Morrison, though, may be the swing factor. He has the most upside of the three, but health has been the issue from the start.
He fell to the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft because of an injury he suffered at Notre Dame in his final college season, then missed seven games as a rookie in Tampa. He was also slowed by another injury early in OTA practices, and his recovery has been sluggish.
Morrison has not practiced so far in camp because of a hamstring injury.
That’s why the quote from Laine lands so clearly: "With Jamel Dean gone, the Bucs have Zyon McCollum, Benjamin Morrison and Jacob Parrish as realistic starting options on the outside. Parrish also started on the inside last year and Morrison is dealing with a hamstring injury that has kept him from practicing so far in camp. But if he gets healthy, that's one position group not fully defined -- and an important one at that, given the gaffes in the secondary that cost them games last season."
The Bucs spent much of the offseason trying to beef up the defensive front seven, and outside of fourth-round rookie Keionte Scott, who is expected to take over at slot corner, they’re counting on McCollum, Morrison and Parrish to elevate the secondary from within.
That leaves the camp battle simple in one sense and complicated in another: if Morrison gets healthy soon, this could turn into a real fight. If he doesn’t, the path becomes much clearer.
For now, there are other jobs worth watching too. Tampa Bay’s WR3 spot is up for grabs, with Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and rookie Ted Hurst battling behind Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. And rookie Josiah Trotter, the Bucs’ second-round pick, is already getting a look with the first unit as he competes with veterans SirVocea Dennis and Christian Rozebloom for playing time and possibly a starting job.
Still, the cornerback picture carries the most weight. If Morrison can get back on the field and make it interesting, Tampa Bay will have a legitimate competition on its hands. If not, the Bucs may already have their answer.
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Williams arrived at camp with the kind of profile that usually leaves a player fighting uphill for a spot, but he has given the Buccaneers a reason to keep watching. Todd Bowles has liked what he has seen from Williams in the basics that matter most at corner, and for a defense still sorting through its depth, that kind of steady camp can change the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
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Mayfield, for his part, has not hidden his dissatisfaction with how the negotiations have gone, and that has added some friction to a relationship the Buccaneers hoped would feel settled by now. The conversation is only sharpened by his history with previous teams and the lingering question of whether his production has been enough to remove any doubt about his place in the franchise-quarterback tier. [Read more 🡒]
Rueben Bain Is Giving Buccaneers Fans A Reason To Believe Early
Rueben Bain Jr. is getting an early taste of what life can look like in the NFL, and it is a useful one for a Buccaneers defense trying to find more juice off the edge. The rookie outside linebacker has been spending training camp going against Tampa Bays offensive tackles, with most of the work coming against Luke Goedeke and regular reps helping him adjust to the speed and strength he will face this season.
Todd Bowles has already noticed the physical traits and the preparation, which is usually a promising combination for a young pass rusher. For a team that can use immediate help, Bains early camp work offers a reason for optimism, even if the bigger question is how quickly that promise turns into real production once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]